The new building for the Ministry of Housing, Planning and Environment by architect Jan Hoogstad, got the nickname 'Transparent Ministry' because of its enormous glass covered spaces. My starting point for a commissioned work of art in one of the elevator shafts, was based on the idea that the elevator-towers are one of the few spaces in the building where no outside influences are noticed. The work consists of a sound of human voices, which the user of the elevator travels through and which is variable by the influence of the weather conditions outside. Installation: Through the whole elevator shaft 32 loudspeakers are installed. One side-panel in each elevator, consists of non-soundproof material. In a computer memory 29 pitches of the human voice - from base to soprano - are stored. The data from the buildings weather station, giving information about light, wind, temperature, rain etc. is directly transformed into a changeable 'choir' coming from the loudspeakers. No more than 8 consecutive loudspeakers can sound together. The choir changes its vertical position in the shaft as well as its composition, density, volume and pitch. In 'Clouds 7' the weather patterns are not directly translated, but the weather's unpredictable movements are continually used as impulses for changes in the 'clouds of voices'.
year
1992
location
Elevator C- block, V.R.O.M. Ministry of Housing, Planning and environment, Den Haag NL
performed by
voices: studentsingers from the Sweelinck conservatorium Amsterdam, voices coördination: Tom Sol. Thanks to Daan Manneke
curator
Rijksgebouwendiensrt
photography
Toine Horvers
further information
The VROM-building is designed by architect Jan Hoogstad, Rotterdam 1991
project or event
1% commissioned art in governamental buildings
technical
Built in 1992 by H.S.E Harry Stokman and Paul Spaanderman, in collaboration with STEIM Amsterdam.
The 2008 revision was initiated by Wim Vletters Imtech Maintainance in collaboration with Michiel van de Pol VROM and performed by Hellas Rectifiers Eindhoven (Harry Stokman)
Clouds 7 software: Weather Composer Machine 1992 HSE Harry Stokman